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Gaperon

Gaperon is a speciality of Auvergnate country. It was originally made with the “ babeurre”, this is the left over from making butter (buttermilk). It is ripened in the fresh air, in the old days it was hung from the kitchen beams. There is an old charming folk story that says one could tell how rich a family was by the number of Gaperons hanging in the kitchen. Butter was considered a source of wealth. When (or before) a daughter engaged, the bridegroom’s family could estimate the bride’s family wealth by counting Gaperons. Customs have changed, today Gaperon is no longer made from buttermilk. The taste is coarse, but at the same time pleasurable. An interesting cheese. This artisan cheese has a dry, hard rind and pepper and garlic are mixed in with the soft pate.